With Brandon Workman up and Anthony Ranaudo pushing, PawSox rotation getting full

PAWTUCKET -- When rain swept through Rhode Island on Thursday night and pushed the scheduled PawSox-Buffalo Bisons game into a Friday doubleheader, the McCoy Stadium debut of Brandon Workman likewise was pushed back from Friday to Saturday.

PAWTUCKET -- When rain swept through Rhode Island on Thursday night and pushed the scheduled PawSox-Buffalo Bisons game into a Friday doubleheader, the McCoy Stadium debut of Brandon Workman likewise was pushed back from Friday to Saturday.

Workman yielded three runs while striking out four and walking three in 5 2/3 innings in a start at Syracuse last Sunday, his first start since his promotion from Double-A Portland. He'll get his second crack at Triple-A hitters on Saturday.

"I wasn't as sharp as I'd have liked to have been," he said. "My fastball command wasn't where it has been this season. It was still nice to go out there and pitch well enough to keep the team in the ballgame and give us a chance to get the win."

The 3.57 ERA Workman had posted in 90 2/3 innings in parts of two seasons in the Eastern League left him with little left to prove at that level. He'll turn 25 in August. He's mastering the command of his changeup, curveball and cutter. He'll be eligible for the Rule 5 draft after this season -- which means he'll be added to the 40-man roster in November, if not before. He's on the verge of being a factor at the major-league level.

Meanwhile, Anthony Ranaudo struck out 13 in 7 2/3 scoreless innings for Portland on Thursday night, lowering his ERA to 2.15 in 12 starts for the Sea Dogs. In parts of two seasons, he's made 21 Double-A starts. He'll turn 24 in September. A promotion to Pawtucket can't be too far away -- and, like Workman, that he's Rule 5-eligible this winter means he'll be added to the 40-man roster at some point between now and then.

And lefty Drake Britton -- who's already on the 40-man roster -- has a 3.25 ERA in 72 innings pitched in his second season with the Sea Dogs. He has an ERA of 3.50 with 143 strikeouts in 156 2/3 innings pitched at the Double-A level. He's about ready for a promotion, too.

But the PawSox starting rotation doesn't have any space.

Of the starting five on Opening Day, Chris Hernandez and Terry Doyle both have been relegated to the bullpen. Doyle slid into the rotation to replace the promoted Rubby De La Rosa on Friday, the first time he's pitched in more than a week. De La Rosa figures to be sent back to Triple-A in short order once the overworked Red Sox bullpen can catch its breath.

Steven Wright has a 5.10 ERA in 11 starts this season, but there's some value in giving the knuckleballer the ball every fifth day no matter his numbers given how long it can take a pitcher to refine that pitch.

Alfredo Aceves pitched for the Red Sox on Wednesday and is likely to do so again in a doubleheader at Fenway Park on Tuesday, but he's otherwise entrenched in the PawSox rotation, too.